Moto Guzzi V85 TT

trailer food for thought.
utility trailers with the big tailgate tow hard and use lots of gas.
most have $2. tires and 50 cent wheel bearings. the paint will be bad in a few years.
the more expensive aluminum units are usually better built and last forever.
you can rent motorcycle-specific units dirt cheap but I'm not sure about 1 way.
example if I tow to my place in Az. then I have to find storage as I have no room and the HOA won't let it sit in the drive. that's why I got a Kendo stand up but now use a pickup truck.

I don't disagree- I have had a cheapo folding harbor freight for years now. When I built it, I welded the corners and added bracing, then repainted it. And I carry extra wheel bearings. It pulls fine, but is very low. Backing it up is awful- it is twitchy as anything.

I bought a nice Aluma motorbike trailer. It's designed to stand up on wheels and rolls against the wall when not in use. Yeah, it cost $ 2800., but I really needed it and now I can haul my bike to the dealer one state over if I need to. I did put a small block and tackle on the ceiling to stand it up with, not having extra hands around. I'm 100% happy with this set up.

Twitchy when backing is often a result of very short trailers.

When a friend bought a project that came on a trailer, he had too many trailers so I bought his 5 x 8 Home Depot trailer. It was already set up for a single motorcycle which is about all my little Honda should tow. Used it for some building materials, trips to the dump, and the occasional motorcycle rescue.

That trailer backs very well. The whole car/trailer rig is short enough to turn around a couple different places on my 700+ foot driveway so I don't usually back the whole way. The tailgate sticks up in back about as high as the car so I can easily see where the trailer is going.

That tailgate is expanded steel so it probably causes some drag but it's not that bad. I took the trailer along when I went to "look" at those new V85 murdersicles. Got 30.43 mpg on the drive to NH and 29.44 mpg on the drive back north with the bike.

But I won't say it's a high-quality item. It does twist quite a lot when I step on a corner. I've also done a bit of welding and painting on it.

For occasional use behind a small car and for just a few hundred dollars, it's adequate. I would like a nice aluminum trailer, but it's hard to justify for as seldom as I use it.

Yes, I saw that one Fonzi!! If I go trailer route it has to be multipurpose. Enzo delivered my bike yesterday. 40 chilly miles today. So far so good! Gotta get my iton butt back in shape!!

i saw the Home Depot one. Metal sides and removal end gates? The small wheel tire combination on that would have me nervous for a 1000 trip??

Metal sides but the tailgate/ramp on mine is not removable. This trailer is at least 15 years old so there's a good chance it's not the same as what's currently available.

The tires are fairly small 5.30-12. Not that much smaller than on the compact car I'm towing with. The trip to get solar panels in Mass was about the same as the trip to get the V85; just over 500 miles round trip. I know the previous owner made some similar trips.

I've made several 1000+ mile trips with the HF trailer with 7-900 lbs. Or shorter ones with it way, way overloaded- but I packed the bearings myself. The cheap trailers are fine if you follow reasonable limits and maintenance.
Grinnin- you are correct about the twitchy-ness. It is controllable, but a PIA. With the HF models, the tongue is just too short.
At my age, I should get one of the folding aluminum ones. I might have to follow Fonzie's idea.

Hi, Tom! I did see some pictures of your new motorbike! I know that you're loving life right now! Congratulations!

Here’s a new one- my fuel gauge croaked. Turning on the ignition, the display goes through it’s start up procedure and everything appears normal. The fuel tank shows full and the miles to empty also displays. Press the starter button and the bike fires up. It’s at this point all the bars disappear and the miles to empty shows “- -“. The little yellow fuel pump light blinks and stays that way while riding. Did 70 miles today with no change. The bike continued to run fine. Bike off and restarting the same result.
Might try unhooking the battery tomorrow to see if that “cures” it.

My first thought would be a loose connector, followed by a bad sensor. I just checked my PDF copy of the Service Manual and I don't see a separate fuse for the sensor. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Assuming it is the gauge itself and not the dash...there's only one electrical connection to the tank- it is at the back of the tank and accessible if you pull the seat off. A flat (3-5 prong?) connector. But that also provides power to the fuel pump? So I doubt it is the connector. But it is an easy check.
Looks like the fuel pump is accessible from the top of the tank, under the fascia. At least, that's what the workshop manual looks like.

336 miles to Christmas,FL and back to drop our Christmas cards in their mailbox to be postmarked.

Here's a motorcycle blog that I follow that I really like- The Rolling Physics Problem. It's author is Greg Samieh, who's a Moto-journalist who writes honestly and seems like a normal guy.
Recently, he got a v85 to test and his experience was somewhat less than stellar. Warning- it's long.
https://rollingphysicsproblem.wordpress.com/2020/11/30/my-crazy-italian-ex-girlfriend/

Amazing that any manufacturer would send a brand new not run in bike out to a Journo!!

Just wanted to introduce myself just got a V85TT Travel been lurking and learning.
Wanted to say thanks for all the info, over 450 pages worth whew.
based in San Diego always up for a ride.

Interesting. From this and similar reviews of other makes this year, I'm begining to wonder if some manufacturers might have had qualifty control problems due to it being 2020.

Congrats Dan, Sure you'll love it. Post up a pic or two!

The Travel seems to be the most popular variant , I wonder if actual sales support that observation?

Here's a quote posted on another site by a Socal Guzzi dealer.
"Welcome, and any dealer that doesn't do a valve lash check as part of the PDI is just being lazy and greedy, and it's these type of dealers that will continue with the disappointment of new bike owners with the brand."